


In a Twilit Wood

by OrangeBlossoms



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 19:23:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11237574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeBlossoms/pseuds/OrangeBlossoms
Summary: Faye has a fateful encounter in the woods one starlit night.





	In a Twilit Wood

**Author's Note:**

> Props to all the people writing evocative, poetic stuff for this game. I tried, but am never happy with it, so here's some weird AU fluff instead. Playing super fast and loose with folklore here. Also, the ship isn't really the focus of this. It's just kind of there in the background.

The woods were perilous. She had been told that time and time again, so when they boys dared each other to go spend the night there she worried over the dangerous pointlessness of the gesture. They dismissed her concerns, Gray patting her on the head with a smug grin. When they returned the next day boasting of their successful undertaking, Gray once again reminded her of why she was silly for worrying.

If they were going to condescend to her, she’d show them. She’d do it all by herself. She grew up in the village doing manual labor just like the lot of them. She knew basic survival skills. That night, she climbed down the tree outside of her window, cursing under her breath as a bow caught on one of the branches. As she landed, she brushed off her skirts with a smile and crept along the shed before grabbing a lantern from the barn. In the shadows of the buildings, she made her way towards the old wall that separated the village from the unknown. The wall reached just under her shoulders and was crumbling in places. Finding a section where time and disrepair had lowered an area to her waist, she leaned over the top and gently placed the lantern on the other side before vaulting over the cobblestone structure. 

She walked further into the darkness before lighting the candle in the lantern. Holding it aloft, she pulled her cloak closer. Everything looked strange in the frail glow. The candlelight flickered as it drew out the shadows of tree branches which reached out like clinging hands grasping towards her in supplication. 

She let out a feeble laugh to push them from her mind. She found a comfortable looking set of tree roots to settle for the night, and cleared a patch of undergrowth to set down the lantern. She was sure she would get reprimanded for wasting a candle, but decided to focus on the satisfaction of seeing the boys’ faces when she told them she not only stayed the night in the woods, she did it by herself. 

It was several hours before dawn, her head falling to her chest in exhaustion, when a gust of wind blew out her light. In the distance were the muffled sounds of horns and dogs baying. She gripped her cloak against her knowing it offered feeble protection and curled up further against the tree roots. As if of their own volition, the woods opened up, branches pulling back and revealing the star littered night sky. The vast expanse pulled her attention and she realized they were not the stars she remembered.

It was then that she saw him. He was a handsome youth by any standards and sat astride a golden lion, a retinue of hounds and tenebrous figures on horseback following in his wake. His hair was as green as the hydrangea leaves in spring, a thin circlet rested on his brow. She watched in awe as he circled back and dismounted, extending a gauntlet covered hand to her. It was all she could remember clearly despite trying to recall everything in exact detail every day since she had seen him. 

At some point she had fallen unconscious. Her body ached as she woke from a groggy sleep covered in dew and, to her dismay, a thin layer of cobwebs. The lantern was nowhere to be found. When she made it back to town, her parents fell to their knees embracing her and crying over her return saying she had been gone a month. When questioned about her whereabouts she could only say she had seen something magical. 

The memory of his benevolent face haunted her dreams and waking steps. She returned to the forest many times at different hours, but was never able to recreate the event. It was years later during one such foray that she wondered if her luck was taking a turn. Tobin and Gray had started setting traps in the woods despite warnings from village elders. It would upset the neighbors, already known for being quick to take offense. She heard the warnings. She was often part of them. 

_“Don’t want to end up like that girlie, do ye?"_

Everyone knew of her ailment even if they tried not to speak of it directly in front of her parents or herself. It didn’t hurt her feelings. They weren’t wrong. She knew she couldn’t say it didn’t trouble her family and she did worry over them, but if everyone left her to her own devices, she was content with that. She inched along carefully, knowing where to look. Tobin in particular was bad at hiding them, but Gray wasn’t very good at it either. Her muscles tensed when she heard the telltale snap of a trap activating in the distance. She didn’t relish the idea of witnessing some animal struggling and began to wonder if it would be better to let it go. These weren’t their woods after all. She knew that better than anyone. 

To her surprise, in the net was something much more human, or so she thought at first glance. It was a woman with unnaturally pink hair. Even more unsettling was the dull red of her eyes. She crawled forward and peeked around the broad trunk of an oak.

“Are you…?” 

“In a bit of a mess? Yeah, totally. If you wanna help me out though, I’ll make it worth your while!” the woman said with a voice that was bright even when tinged with annoyance.

“Worth my while?” Faye asked, hands ready to unravel the trap.

“Well, I can maybe grant a wish for you or owe you a favor. In thanks, you know? You just gotta… get me out of this thing,” she said, struggling with the ropes and hissing in discomfort. 

There was no hesitation in Faye’s heart.

“There’s this boy-”

“Let me stop you right there! You’re sweet and I want to help you, so I’m going to warn you to be _very_ careful with your wording and love’s too messy. I’d avoid that if I were you.” 

The warning fell on deaf ears as she had already made her decision. She rose from where she had been crouched, hands clenched at her side and a determined look on her face.

“I wish… for my true love to find me and return my feelings,” she said.

“Well, _ok_ then. You do you or whatever. Care to get me down first though?” 

She gently lowered the netting to the ground, pulling it open wide. 

“I didn’t like these traps around all over the place, but whoever has set them has gotten smarter,” she said, kicking a bundled branch of mountain-ashes with her foot and shuddering,“If you could let them know to cut it out before I hafta hunt them down and zap ‘em, I’d appreciate it.”

“I can do that,” Faye agreed, prompting her again before she could steal away into the dappled sunlight paths of the forest, “My wish?”

An irked expression crossed her face before she sighed and nodded.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, but I _thiiink_ I can work with what you requested.True love’s more wishy- washy of a concept than you’d think. I’ll hook you up with a compatible match,” she said, winking,”I’m pretty reliable.” 

“Compatible match?” 

“Yeah, expect her in the next… month or so? Human time is _weird_!” she said, shrugging and laughing.

“ _Her?_ ” 

“Yeah! She’s real cute! Just like you!” she answered as she walked away, disappearing into the woods with a wave.

“Wait!” she called, but there was no response. 

~*~

Faye fulfilled her promise and told the boys to stop setting traps. It was Kliff who convinced them in the end though they wouldn't tell her what he said that won them over. He always struck her as a bit smarter than the other two. 

Her routines had taken on a slightly different focus. She was now hoping to encounter that strange woman again. It was the closest she had ever gotten after years of trying. It had been several weeks and her supposed compatible match hadn’t shown up either, of which she was grateful.

She was on the edge of town, waiting by the cobblestone wall for twilight. She had planted flowers on the other side and left a coin she had managed to slip out of a box her father had hidden in the floorboards. She tried to think of every story her grandmother had told as she knitted with knobby hands by the fire. Any hints that could bring her closer to her goal.

There was a rustle of branches and her breath caught in her throat.

Instead of the rose-colored hair she was hoping to see, a woman in tattered clerics robes stumbled forward. On instinct, she leapt to catch the stranger who trembled in her grasp. 

“We have to… have to,” she gasped, sweat streaking down her brow.

“Hey, shh, let’s get you out of here,” she said, lifting her arm over her shoulder and pulling her up. 

The young woman leaned heavily against her and her stomach sank at the realization that this might be how the fae woman had delivered on her promise. It was all too much of a coincidence. No one else had traveled through the village except for an old balding merchant with a wagon and horse. He had moved on to the next town after several days of business.

Her parents called in an elderly woman who had limited healing abilities to take a look at her after they carried her up and set her in Faye’s room. Faye was relieved to hear she wasn’t ill, just exhausted. She had sustained some minor injuries, but the woman was able to patch her up before needing time to recover. If anything happened to this visitor, it would have been the result of her own meddling in things she didn’t understand. It hadn’t been her intention to drag in unwitting strangers.

Faye watched over her as she slept and tended to her when she was awake. She overheard her parents discuss their happiness over the distraction as it kept her away from the forest. As the hours wore on, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed. What was so special about this frail woman who was currently too weak to even feed herself? This couldn't be her match and a tug at her heart reminded her that of course it wasn’t.

When the woman, Silque was her name, felt well enough to move around on her own, Faye returned to her normal habits of disappearing at odd hours. Silque tried to talk to her on several occasions, but Faye brushed her off each time, not needing a distraction. It was only when she noticed she would wait for her at the wall that she started to pay attention. 

“I only wanted to thank you. For saving me,” Silque said the first time, healing some scrapes she had received on an arm from an encounter with some brambles, “There don’t seem to be many other women our age here, so I thought it would be nice if we could be friends.” 

Faye wasn’t sure how to respond. She was certain she didn’t need Silque as something more and she didn’t know if she needed her as a friend either, so she thanked her for the healing and moved on with her life. 

The next time she saw her, she was at the wall doing some mending in the afternoon light. She had brought over some small hand pies Faye's mother had made. Faye once again thanked her and was embarrassed when her stomach growled at the promise of food. She supposed he hadn’t eaten much in the past couple of days.

The third time, Faye gave in and greeted her first. She belatedly realized it might be helpful to learn what had brought Silque to the village. Some hints could potentially be gleaned from her tale. Silque was reluctant to share details at first and Faye pressed when she realized she was getting a sanitized version of the path that had brought the cleric to their village. She swore on all that was good that she would believe her no matter how outlandish a tale it ended up being and requested Silque start over from the beginning. 

“I felt compelled to go on pilgrimage. It was something I had always considered, but for some reason in that moment, I just knew that it was time,” she said, clasping her hands in front of her, “I was certain I had received a message from the Mother. So, I packed my belongings and left the priory. I followed the route pilgrims have been taking for centuries and traveled with others like myself, but once I arrived on the mainland I was attacked by wolves. I was certain that was the end. I would never complete my journey. I made peace with it and prepared myself for what seemed inevitable, but then something even stranger happened. Beyond destroying my pack all they did was snap at my heels and pulled me along by my robes. If I ever slowed, they grew more aggressive, so I ran. I know it sounds so strange, but you asked to know the truth.”

She appeared flustered by the end of her retelling and there was little doubt in Faye’s mind who was responsible for the whole undertaking.

~*~

The death knell to any possibility that she was wrong in her assumptions about Silque was when she saw that woman in the woods again. After hearing Silque’s story she had gone straight back to one of her well-trodden paths and called for her, not expecting much after months of nothing. She nearly jumped out of her boots when a figure swung down in front of her face.

“So, how’d I do? Great, right?” she said in a singsong voice, hanging upside down from a tree branch,hair bobbing with each movement of her head. 

It took a moment to regain her bearings as she didn’t actually think she would be successful, but her frustration boiled to the surface as she remembered Silque’s tale.

“This is the _worst_! It’s not what I asked for!”

“Hey now, I actually tried to fulfill your request. It’s not every lifetime that you get a wish granted by someone like me. I’m one of the best there is, too! And it’s not like I put a spell on either of you if _that’s_ what you’re worried about. I just made it so she was more likely to pass through this little village and then stay a while.” 

“She said she was chased by wolves!” Faye exclaimed.

“Yeah, no worries though. They probably wouldn’t have hurt her,” she said, smiling, “And besides, if the wolves hadn’t directed her, she would’ve been picked up by brigands and I don’t even wanna _think_ about what would’ve happened after that! I had a bear pal of mine take a stroll through their camp. It’s winter soon, so she appreciated their supply of smoked fish.”

“I don’t think this is going to work,” Faye said, holding her arms close to herself.

“You won’t know until you give it a try!” she insisted, noticing the human girl’s crestfallen expression, “Ugh ok ok. This is probably a bad idea, but I’m kind of invested in this at this point. I have a reputation on the line! Anyway, one of my names… not like.. a _real_ name or anything… it’s Mae. So, if you get in a really bad spot, you can call for me and I’ll see what I can do. Don’t abuse it though.”

Mae flipped over the branch and landed lightly on her feet. She curled her hand and a lick of flame engulfed it, causing shadows to flicker dangerously across her face. 

“I didn’t want to have to be scary about it, but I do want you to know you’re dealing with serious business now.”

Faye stepped back and nodded her assent. The flame disappeared in a puff of smoke.

“Cool! So, we’re good, right? Right! I gotta head out though. You take care!” 

She hopped back up into the branches and was gone leaving Faye dumbstruck.

~*~

It was an easy decision to avoid the forest for the time being, its draw was dulled somewhat as the memory of the flame appeared and temporarily overrode dreams of stars and a strong hand pulling her up. She spent more time with Silque and her village friends and felt guilty when she noticed Silque had taken over chores that were supposed to be Faye’s had she been more aware of the world of the living. 

“It’s the least I could do with you and your family caring for me like you all have been doing,” she insisted.

Silque had decided to wait out the winter in the village, Faye’s parents urging her not to travel through bad weather. Faye was grateful, remembering Mae’s warning of brigands. Silque moved in with the healer woman who had tended to her on her first day, promising to pay for her lodging by teaching her skills to both the older woman and her new apprentice.

Faye dug out some books from storage when she found out Silque knew how to read. One was a religious text from a long deceased relative and another a collection of myths. Silque would read them to her by firelight during the days the snow piled up so high everyone would rush through their chores and huddle inside their homes or at the tavern. When the weather allowed, Silque helped her tend to the flowerbed by the wall, the coin still buried amongst their roots. Five months had passed when she realized she hadn’t set foot in the forest since her last encounter with Mae. The knots that she often felt in her chest loosened at the thought. 

One day when Silque was teaching the healer and her apprentice some more advanced techniques, Faye sat with her friends in the tavern. They had all spent the day working and were glad for a reprieve.

“Why don't you guys like Silque?” Faye asked during a lull. Tobin nearly spit out his drink at her candor.

“Who said we didn't like her? She's nice enough!” Gray said.

“I know how you are though! She's new to town and none of you have even _tried_ flirting with her.”

“I mean, church mouse isn't really my type,” Gray contended, crossing his arms.

“Yeah, and she probably won't hang around and I’m not really all about going on some holy mission,” Tobin agreed.

“She knows magic. That's really amazing, right? And can heal and she's super sweet!” Faye insisted, not entirely sure where she was going with her line of questioning.

“What about you?” Kliff joined in, his heavy-lidded expression belying his interest.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Gray leaned forward, his drink sloshing over the side with the sudden movement, “Speaking of sweet, sounds like _someone’s_ sweet on the cleric.”

“We’re good friends. That’s it,” she said with finality, feeling her chest tighten as if a cord wrapped and constricted around her ribs. A familiar dread returned, settling over her bones like a laden shawl. 

She excused herself from the table, ignoring the worried glances her friends gave each other. That night she dreamt of drowning in the forest green pools of his eyes. 

~*~

Silque found her huddled by the wall the next day. She held her as she cried, unwilling and unable to communicate what was wrong.

~*~

This continued for a week. She would waver at the edge of the woods, Silque sitting with her in silent solidarity until one day she walked deeper. For the first time, Silque attempted to follow, concern apparent on her features. 

“Please, you need to stay. I’m going to see if someone can help, but I don’t know if they would like it if I brought anyone else,” she said, holding her hands.

Silque nodded, squeezing her hands in response before returning to her post. 

Faye found the tree she had settled next to during her first night in the woods and called the name she had been given.

Mae appeared around the other side of the trunk causing her to jump back. She looked just as she had when they first met. Even her casual grin was the same. To Faye’s surprise, she was flipping the coin she had hidden by the wall all those months ago.

“How’s tricks? Things seem to be moving along swimmingly from what I can tell,” she grinned, winking. 

Faye’s dejected silence must have tipped her in on the true state of things as she dropped the cavalier attitude for an inquisitive expression.

“What am I supposed to do? I.. I can’t love anyone else,” Faye asked, desperation creeping into her tone. 

“What do you mean?” she asked, now rolling the coin across her knuckles. 

“I… saw one of you once… in the woods at night. He rode a lion and had hair like the leaves in the trees. He’s the only one I want… the only one I can imagine ever wanting. I don’t know why… it just is,” she admitted, a hand clutching at her face. 

It was the first time she had said it all out loud. She had never explained everything to the other villagers, her parents, or even Silque. The guilt had plagued her, but she knew no one would be able to understand or help.

“Oh… so you saw him once? Hmm I guess that does complicate things. I don’t really know why it happens sometimes. I doubt he did it on purpose. It’s like you humans put a spell on yourselves when you see something that’s impossible and you want it anyway. He’s pretty great. I’ll say that much. But it’s never going to work out. He’s already got a Queen and _she’s_ even greater than he is though I might be kind of biased there,” she said as her cheeks colored in a way that almost made her seem human.

“B-but I can't just stop these feelings,” Faye cried with a sudden sob,”I think about him every day. I don't even know his name.”

“Y’know, that might actually work,” Mae said, snapping her fingers and nodding,”I can't just give you his true name or anything, but if it's just a piece of something, it could give you juuust enough power where you might be able to break the spell.”

She leaned forward, bringing her lips to Faye's ear and spoke a word. A shiver traveled from her head to her feet and back again followed by the feeling of pulling a thread until it frayed and then snapped apart. She sunk to her knees in the dead leaves of the undergrowth, her arms quivering as they held her up. The tears that had yet to fall began to wet her hands. Mae crouched down next to her. 

“This is probably the last time we'll get to hang out,” she said with a frown, her shoulders drooping, “I’ve kinda been here way more than I’m supposed to be. If I can though, I’ll check in on you two! Maybe you’ll end up really good friends! Or _maybe_ you’ll have little kiddos next time! Or like... a _million_ cats! Won’t it be fun to find out? No matter what, I’m cheering for you! Oh, and I’ll have to take my name back.”

A magic similar to the one she had experienced before touched her except this time it felt like a stitch being unraveled, erasing itself into nothingness during the process. 

“Take care, human. I never got _your_ name, but it’s better that way. Keep it safe and do the same for her, too.” 

~*~

She staggered back to town, aware that she looked a mess with leaf stains on her dress and tear tracks down her face. She tried to scrub some of them away with her cloak, but was sure the rough material only made her face puffier.

Silque was leaning against the wall next to her small row of flowers, a hole in the ground where the coin had been retrieved. It looked like she had fallen asleep waiting, her hand limply holding the religious tome. Faye sat next to her and leaned her head against her shoulder, an arm wrapping around Silque’s own. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered,”Thank you for waiting.”

~*~

It was several months later when Silque began talking of her pilgrimage again. Rising to the occasion, Faye recruited her village friends with the same dares they had used against each other to spend the night in the forest. They returned years later with stories that would be retold for generations of the villager who came home riding a winged horse and her saintly wife.

**Author's Note:**

> Mae’s _the best_!
> 
> Something gay with Mae was the request (this is probably not the intention of the request, but it’s what I came up with). Alt summary: Mae is fae and owes Faye a favor.


End file.
